Robins unbothered by storm clouds over Forest Row to get back to winning ways

Physical and metaphorical storm clouds gathered over Forest Row. Hassocks paid little attention to either by running out 3-0 winners in the first ever league meeting between the clubs played out in horrific conditions at Jubilee Field.

Frow released a statement the day before the Robins visited saying that manager Ian Nicholls would be leaving the club after their upcoming Monday evening fixture against Midhurst & Easebourne. The reasons given were a review of the club's structure, financial position and long term sustainability.

One Forest Row player told the hardy band of Hassocks fans gathered behind the goal bracing the wind and rain that nobody had been paid for two months and the majority would be following Nicholls out the door.

If true, Frow will be the second Southern Combination Premier Division club to find themselves in trouble caused by budget already this season after Midhurst. And we have not even reached Halloween yet.

Hassocks were in no mood to allow Nicholls a celebratory victory in his penultimate game at the helm as they set about putting right last Saturday's disappointing 3-1 defeat at Lancing.

The first sign of the issues Storm Boelo might cause came on five minutes when an early Dan Turner back pass went awry. Ed Cooper managed to save the ball from going out for a corner but at the expense of his clearance going straight to Dan Gibb.

Luckily for the Robins, the angle was a little too tight for Gibb and his effort flashed across the open goal and just wide of the far upright.

Hassocks punished that miss by taking the lead three minutes later. Devon Fender delivered a corner which swirled and looped around in the wind. Turner watched it expertly, meeting it with a back post header which Lewis Croal helped glance in from a matter of yards.

Another corner from the opposite flank looked like it was about to whip in until Frow goalkeeper Ethan McGrath did really well to punch off the line under pressure from Croal.

Set pieces were proving troubling for both goalkeepers because of the conditions. Forest Row almost levelled when Louis Stilwell beat Cooper to a Callum Corbin free kick. The header from Stilwell was just wide.

Croal was getting a lot of joy drifting out to the left. One such instance saw him drift past Corbin and draw a good save from McGrath. Charlie Bonwick-Adams retrieved the rebound and teed up Lewis Finney for a shot which tall striker Jamie Wilkes diverted against the post with a cheeky back heel.

Chances began to come at both ends as the half progressed. A wind-assisted cross-shot from Raging Joe Bull forced McGrath into parrying away. Turner then made a vital sliding tackle to divert a Zack Lamont cross behind and prevent Frow top scorer Camron Lawson from having a tap in.

Forest Row were dealt a blow when Joe Hasler had to be replaced after going down in visible pain just past the half hour mark. The hosts only named two substitutes and Chris Pindi was the player chosen to take over.

Pindi was soon into the action, going down after tangling with Jack Troak in the box. Half-hearted penalty appeals were waved away by referee Greig Walker. In any case, the loose ball found its way to Corbin for a distance shot well held by Cooper.

Entering first half injury time and Bonwick-Adams shot into the side netting from a brilliant Fender pass splitting the Frow defence. Bonwick-Adams probably should have squared to Croal for a tap-in.

Croal was not going to make the same mistake when Hassocks fashioned another chance from which they doubled their lead in the 60 seconds remaining before the teams were finally able to take refuge in the dry.

Troak clipped a long pass down the left channel where Croal again popped up. McGrath committed himself but Croal got their first, rounding the Frow goalkeeper some 30 yards from goal.

Croal then went around the covering Will Benedict and drew two more Forest Row players chasing back before slipping a pass to Finney, who finished first time into the far corner.

It was a good time for the Robins to score and although they never looked like collapsing in similar manner to last week at Lancing, another goal was needed to settle any nerves.

Hassocks had to wait until the 80th minute for it to arrive from substitute Darren Budd. Before that, Fender shot just over from 25 yards and Turner put a free kick from even further out down the throat of McGrath.

The third featured some fleeting footwork from both Big Alex Fair and Budd. Fair glided past Lamont and caressed a square ball to Budd on the edge of the box.

Three Frow players converged on Budd, all of whom the veteran escaped with one dropped shoulder and a quick turn. Budd then went back around the sliding Stilwell and fired into the bottom left corner after giving McGrath the eyes to send him diving in completely the wrong direction.

A fine way for Budd to get his first goal back in Robins colours since coming out of retirement rounding off a good win.

With Hassocks also having been awarded the points from their fixture against Midhurst last month when the Stags were unable to raise a side in the immediate aftermath of their budget implosion, the Southern Combination Premier Division table is starting to look a little healthier for the Robins. They are now up to fourth.

Hassocks: Cooper; Hendy, D Turner, Troak; Bonwick-Adams, Abdsami, Wilkes, Finney, Bull; Fender, Finney.

Subs: Benson, Fair, Brodie, Budd, Blake (used).